Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Back in the 50's there were not enough kids for first grade so they took us younger kids too.I was in the same grade as my older brother who was 10 mos older.It was an advantage for me to play sports with older kids as they were better and knew more.I hung out with older people my whole life ever since it gives you an edge for awhile to always be ahead of your peers.Know I'm the oldest guy I know.
I went to a multi-age school back in the 1950s, 3 grades to a room. I was with older kids and younger kids at various times. We did some activities such as art and music together with the other grades, and we had recess with the other grades. It taught me that it was OK to do things with people of different ages.
<>Since most states have a cutoff of September 1st, and since most kids do not have fall birthdays, there are really very few kids who should be considered for redshirting.
Google sez:
In 2013 more newborns arrived in August than in any other month. The second, third, and fourth most popular birthday months were July, October, and September, in that order.
Most births were in the third quarter, so, in answer to your question, I dunno.
So if the pace was the only difference, not the curriculum, then wasn't it effectively repeating a grade? If you did all the same stuff for two years running, albeit paced differently?
I believe the following is why this concept seemed to work so well. Keep in mind this was about 30 years ago. I'm unsure if this program is offered now.
When the kids that are struggling academically as well as the kids that may be too immature are gleaned from a class, this allows the balance of the class to progress faster. The Junior First Grade attendees take first grade level work at a slower pace, not progressing as fast as those IN the regular first grade. When the Junior First Grade kids join the kids from the Kindergarten class that was initially below them going now to first grade, they're better prepared to learn at a more accelerated rate.
Not only did the Junior First Grade kids get helped, but it helped the rest of the kids from their initial class by not having the degrees of interruption along with the teacher needing to put the extra effort in teaching to the kids that weren't keeping up.
This program worked well for my son as he graduated high school as an honor student and as a Regents Scholar. He graduated *** Laude in Math Education while also putting up with the rigors of playing college football.
Most parents with kids who had birthdays around my twin girls chose to redshirt. The district cut-off was Sept 15 & their birthday is Sept 14!
I'm glad I didn't; they were very social & had this love for learning that I didn't feel I could challenge at home. They have always been very confident. But I did question myself early on & they were so tiny (not any more!); one of them wore a pair of shorts to school the first week that were size "24months". Her twin was only slightly larger & more athletic.
I feel like you do this on a case by case basis. Every kid is different. I did wait for 21 yr old daughter (bday July1) & that was a good choice. I did not wait for my 29 yr old son (bday also july 1, 8 years before daughters) & later thought maybe I should have.
When my daughter's were ready to start kindergarten the district offered school readiness testing to all, and required it for those who would turn 5 after June 1st. (The official cutoff date was Dec 2nd.). Both had birthday after June 1st, and both had fellow classmates more than a year older than themselves.
The youngest of my daughter's classmates had a Dec 1st birthday. She graduated a 3 sport varsity athlete and valedictorian of her class. Apparently her young age did not hold her back. (She now has her doctorate and is a university professor.)
Even 25 years ago there were children were held out until they could start kindergarten at age 6. Most of those did fine. Others ended up in trouble, with their parents fretting about getting a 19 year old to actually finish high school. They may have gotten in trouble regardless of when they started school, but parenting a legal adult ended up being a challenge.
Of course I think that absent some disability the vast majority of summer babies should start kindergarten having just turned 5.
Then you must not have been in a kindergarten class recently. They are no longer just playing in the sandbox and singing songs about colors. They're expected to write a sentence or two, count to 100 and be mature enough to play quietly without distraction. Not every barely-5-year-old is able to do this.
Also, most public schools administer a "readiness" test for incoming kindergartners (and have for decades). While these tests do not measure emotional readiness, they are often able to screen out a child who is not academically ready for kindergarten.
Then you must not have been in a kindergarten class recently. They are no longer just playing in the sandbox and singing songs about colors. They're expected to write a sentence or two, count to 100 and be mature enough to play quietly without distraction. Not every barely-5-year-old is able to do this.
Also, most public schools administer a "readiness" test for incoming kindergartners (and have for decades). While these tests do not measure emotional readiness, they are often able to screen out a child who is not academically ready for kindergarten.
I was in kindergarten briefly in fall 1998 before being promoted to a class called "T-1" for the 1998-1999 school year, which was like an advanced kindergarten, and pretty much how you describe kindergarten as today. Why can't we throttle regular kindergarten back to the difficulty it was in the late 1990s and keep something like T-1 as an option for the academically advanced kindergarteners? Kindergarten is today what 1st grade was 20 years ago.
I was in kindergarten briefly in fall 1998 before being promoted to a class called "T-1" for the 1998-1999 school year, which was like an advanced kindergarten, and pretty much how you describe kindergarten as today. Why can't we throttle regular kindergarten back to the difficulty it was in the late 1990s and keep something like T-1 as an option for the academically advanced kindergarteners? Kindergarten is today what 1st grade was 20 years ago.
And where does that leave the kids who are ready for the way kindergarten is now? I don't know the numbers but a lot of kids enter kindergarten after spending 1 or 2 years in preschool and they have already developed the skills they need.
But what happens after T-1? Aren't those kids going to continue to stay ahead of the non-T-1 kids? At some points, kids who enter school with different degrees of readiness need to be integrated into one classroom. It may as well be in kindergarten where there is more flexibility and a less stringent curriculum.
And where does that leave the kids who are ready for the way kindergarten is now? I don't know the numbers but a lot of kids enter kindergarten after spending 1 or 2 years in preschool and they have already developed the skills they need.
But what happens after T-1? Aren't those kids going to continue to stay ahead of the non-T-1 kids? At some points, kids who enter school with different degrees of readiness need to be integrated into one classroom. It may as well be in kindergarten where there is more flexibility and a less stringent curriculum.
I agree with what you're saying. It appears to be the concept of kicking the can down the road. Unless there's an actual in between grade, your problem of kids being ready with kids that are not will reappear in first grade.
And where does that leave the kids who are ready for the way kindergarten is now? I don't know the numbers but a lot of kids enter kindergarten after spending 1 or 2 years in preschool and they have already developed the skills they need.
But what happens after T-1? Aren't those kids going to continue to stay ahead of the non-T-1 kids? At some points, kids who enter school with different degrees of readiness need to be integrated into one classroom. It may as well be in kindergarten where there is more flexibility and a less stringent curriculum.
This opens up the whole can of worms on the problems of "one size fits all" education where children are divided primarily by age rather than abilities/needs. I have strong opinions on that, but I don't want to derail this thread.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
